From The Note at ABC News:

On Sunday, the Washington Post’s Marc Fisher profiled Maya Keyes, the daughter of former Senate and presidential candidate Alan Keyes, writing that she will make her debut as a gay political activist today, as we Noted above. She told Fisher she plans to talk about what it was like to grow up gay in a very conservative household, and that her parents have kicked her out of the house, cut off her college funding, let her go from a job with her father’s political organization, and have stopped speaking to her.

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The race is on to succeed Sen. Mark Dayton, (D-Minn.), and the Republicans already have their first contestant announced, US Rep. Mark Kennedy.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/10881270.htm

Of course folks are already lining up to take Kennedy’s soon to be empty seat:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5236127.html

Here is what my friend Dick from Stillwater, Minnesota had to say about Dayton’s decision not to run again:

Yeah I was bummed to see him announce that, of course much to the delight of the Republicans here. I’m surprised after he worked so hard and spent so much money to get there that he decided to bow out so quickly. Not sure what the real reasons are for his withdrawal… there are PLENTY of candidates lined up already slobbering at the mouth for the seat – Rod Grams (ick) already announced. I like Al Franken but I am not sure he’s electable. Same with Bill Luther, my old REP from Stillwater. Alan Page would be an intriguing choice of he decided to run. Its winnable but it will be another close race no matter who runs. Minn is really struggling right now with its traditional identity as a progressive state (bummer)…

Here’s hoping that our old progressive neighbor to the west will find its soul and stay blue.
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Fueling further rumors about his intentions, Russ Feingold is holding a fund raiser for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) coming up soon. Meanwhile the press stays interested in what he’s up to:
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_19773935.shtml

Seeing as how the conservatives have decided that current Gov. Pawlenty (R-Minn.) just might be their man for 2008,
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=484788&page=1

maybe we could be facing an Upper Midwest face-off a couple years from now. That is, if Russ did well on his recent golf outing…
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/12/21/alabama/index.html

But that’s just me…
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Also, the most recent Scientific American had an article about the most recent US Census and the somewhat counter intuitive findings that shows that the highest concentrations of gay couples is in rural areas, and the lightest are in the upper Midwest.
http://www.sciamdigital.com/browse.cfm?ITEMIDCHAR=F9334FD1-2B35-221B-617C9516F54759A4&methodnameCHAR=&interfacenameCHAR=browse.cfm&ISSUEID_CHAR=F9214CAB-2B35-221B-641728E52ACE63F4&ArticleTypeSubInclude_BIT=0&sequencenameCHAR=itemP

I wonder how this contrasts/compares with the story from yesterday’s NY Times about the distribution of suicides, which heavily favors red states?
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/13/health/13rural.html
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I am glad to see that Dr./Gov. Dean is settling in to his new digs at the DNC. I think that all of the hand wringing over this by the “New Democrat” wing of the party (Al From et al) is really just a little too much. I like this tongue-in-cheek comment from The Note:

Rumors that all the doors were going to be removed and replaced with beaded curtains have proved false — possibly because the shag carpet installation is taking longer than expected.

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Maybe its time for Democrats to start to throw some red meat around in answer to the congressional Republicans. I am a little tired of hearing the right wing radicals accuse the Democrats of “hating America.” I want to hear the Dems ask why the Republicans hate Americans? The newest budget outlined by the White House is so pro-business and anti-people that this seems like an easy tack to me. Let’s define them, and frame the debate, before they do.
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Speaking of framing debates, I would love to see Milwaukee progressives run ads in out-state media markets encouraging people to support Scott Walker in his bid for the Republican nod for Governor. I envision an ad like this: A mother and daughter are in a kitchen, they address the
camera, “Scott Walker has been nothing but trouble for the people of Milwaukee County, proposing to privitize our parks, cutting important programs, giving sweetheart deals to his fund-raising buddies. He even wanted to borrow a hundred million dollars to gamble with to pay for pensions. Please vote for Scott Walker for Governor, Milwaukee County just can’t afford him any more.”

Just an idea…

Regarding the confluence of Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address:

As an intelligent voter pointed out, it is an ironic juxtaposition:

one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication and the other involves a groundhog.

I thought it a possible sign of impending presidential ambitions when I received a mailer from Sen. Feingold for a new PAC last week. Then came across this article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/WestVolusia/03WVolWEST08POL012905.htm

It is hard to believe that it was only a year ago that I woke up in my own bed for the first time after a historic (for me) jaunt to Iowa to take part in the campaigning for the caucuses, the infamous “Scream” still ringing on the public airwaves. My account of that trip, to the
“Perfect Storm” for Howard Dean (which proved less than perfect) is still on line here:
http://politics.postilion.org/deanjournal.html

It was the experience of keeping that online journal (which the digerati insist on calling a blog, which sounds to me too much like bog) that lead to my creation last May of this mailing list. I guess you have to lay blame someplace…

Of course, my man wasn’t going to stay down for long. As anyone interested in such things surely knows by now, Dean is in the running for DNC Chairman. you can hear all about it on The Week, with George Stephanopoulos, Sunday morning at 9:30 (Milwaukee time).

My friend and cohort Geri sent me a reminder that even though we had lost the battle, the mood on the floor of the Val-Air ballroom was not all gloom and doom that night, just over a year ago. Her video record is here:
http://www.ouroldhouse.com/geri/postcaucus.mov

Reading the post-coronation wrap-ups in the press this morning was enlightening if, like me, you only heard the speech in late coverage, and not fully surrounded by the hype of the live broadcast. While William Saffire in his waining days at the New York Times ranked the speech “among the top 5 of the 20 second-inaugurals in our history,” this despite Bush’s “unmodulated delivery.” (ooch)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/21/opinion/21safire.html

Some of us, my self included, do not rank it that high. Granted, I have only witnessed four of these second inaugurals, but using my customary listening-from-the-next-room-so-I-am-not-suckered-by-the-pomp technique thought that while it was a good speech, it was too lofty. Loft is good in such a speech, but without any grounding risks just drifting away. While people may still remember “soft bigotry of low expectations” from Bush’s first inaugural, I wonder if anyone will remember this years
“cannot carry the message of freedom and the baggage of bigotry at the same time.” We’ll see…

I am always amazed when it happens, but I do find myself in agreement with the Cato Institute for once. Today the Washington Times, that bastion of conservative parrots in Rev. Moon’s back pocket, ran this in their coverage of the speech:

William Niskanen, chairman of the Cato Institute, criticized Mr. Bush’s call for a more activist military role in the world as “dangerous, eloquent nonsense,” rejecting the implication in the president’s remarks “that anyone’s lack of liberty threatens us.”
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050121-122815-4709r.htm

Meanwhile, Deborah Orin, in the New York Post, that bastion of radical conservative parrots in Rupert Murdoch’s back pocket, writes:

Bush’s speech was a ringing reaffirmation of his belief that freedom is the best way to keep America safe because free societies don’t breed terrorists.
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/38585.htm

Now I may be remembering this wrong, but wasn’t the worst act of terrorism on American soil, prior to 9-11, the attack on the Murrah office building in Oklahoma City, carried out by an American? Where was he bred?

And one must wonder what the reaction of more conservative southern religious supports will be to this nugget from the speech:

America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude…

One last comment on the speech. Can anyone be surprised to here the Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi say yesterday:

“In the fight against the arrogant American tyrant who carries the flag of the cross, it is being crushed emotionally and morally,” he said, according to a translation from Reuters. “Our battle with the enemy is a battle of streets and towns and has many tactical, defensive and offensive methods. Fierce wars are not decided in days or weeks.”
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/3002168

within hours of Dubya, in his address, saying:

That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards,and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the
Koran and the varied faiths of our people.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/20/bush.transcript/index.html

But enough of that, how about a little levity? My friend Russ sent me this link:
http://www.dubyamovie.com/

A couple of recent news bit that you may want to take a look at if you missed them: First, one of my favorites, Frank Rich, writes a pretty good column in the Sunday Times art section. His entry from Jan. 12th was precious:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/16/arts/16rich.html

And this piece from Wednesday about Leslie Moonves’s plans for CBS Evening News in a post-Dan Rather era contains an interesting dea:

As part of the overhaul he indicated he would even consider a role for Jon Stewart of Comedy Central’s “Daily Show.” Mr. Stewart has emerged as both a late-night comedy star and a biting commentator on the news…

…Mr. Moonves said his thinking was quite broad at this point, as his consideration of Mr. Stewart made evident.
Mr. Moonves, who is also the a president of CBS’s parent company, Viacom, noted that because Comedy Central is also owned by Viacom, Mr. Stewart is available for such consideration. “Jon Stewart is part of our company and we speak regularly about all sorts of different things,” Mr. Moonves said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/19/arts/television/19cbs.html

Hmmm.

Well, enough for now

A friend just pointed me to this site, I think it’s a wonderful idea!
http://buyblue.org/bluexmas.html

I couldn't believe this until I saw the pictures.  Well worth a look:
    http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2004/12/07/nativityscene/

Someone has come up with a creative way to send you apologies to the
rest of the world, take a look here:
    http://sorryeverybody.com/

Thanks Kathy and Sarah!

Holly replied to my reply to her message. Since the rant list is set up as a one-way conduit of information (e.g. I get to rant, you get to read, or unsubscribe) I felt it best to forward her reply to the list.

Best regards,
-nic

——– Forwarded Message ——–
From: Holly
To: Nic
Subject: Re: Something to mull over
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 11:51:25 -0600

I really am peaked by your idea of creating a progressive business networking organization and would like to explore this idea with you further on how we can make it a reality locally. In regards to the MMAC, let’s talk because I have some real issue with that organization as well.

Also, if you will allow me to expand…I quite frankly think we are in “civil war” (for lack of a better term) here in the “homeland” and the American way of life is over as we know it for the rest of my life time and yours. Am I being melodramatic? Possibly, but that’s how I feel today

Maybe I have a simplistic “eye for an eye” approach when I suggest boycotting specific businesses and mimicking a practice which has been done repeatedly, but why not send a message to where it really
counts…in their wallets. Companies pull ads from TV shows they find offensive, others market themselves as Christian businesses to attract like customers, urban blacks are encouraged to shop locally and support
local business. Is this right? Do these tactics work? I don’t know.

What is right anymore and what works anymore?

(I agree no one has kept tabs on all the businesses who proudly displayed Bush/Cheney signs, I realize that I might accidentally patronize a Bush/Cheney supporter owned business, but I have kept track in my neighborhood. I refuse to eat at Mama Mia’s and Marty’s Pizza again. I will also never shop at Lakeside Marine or have printing done at Small Press on National Ave. It’s a small thing I am suggesting and I think it will help me personally maintain a bit of dignity right now.)

As you know, I have been discriminated against countless times as a women and a lesbian. You also know that I have lived my life with an open mind, inviting of new ideas and people from all walks of life and backgrounds with different philosophies, etc. You also know that I possess a live and let live attitude. but, damn it, I’ve had it. The vast majority of Republicans sent a clear message to me in this election about how they feel about my rights…I take it personally and feel very threatened, disenfranchised and fragmented on what to do next. It is a deeply chilling environment and I am tired of being treated like a second class citizen.

You also know that I cherish the idea of building a better society for all, not just for myself, but right now I am being very selfish and protective of what personally effects me (I know – a very isolationism way of thinking) and I am tying to figure out the best approach for me to handle how I am feeling and what to do about those feelings. And, how I can put this energy (anger) into action.

Maybe we all need to explore more extreme tactics? Maybe we have to quit being “so nice” for awhile to get back to the ideals this country was founded on? Maybe we have to “sell” on fear? Maybe we have to be civilly
disobedient? Maybe the gay community needs to band together and quit paying taxes until we have the same rights of everyone else? Maybe I should seek political asylum in Canada? Maybe workers need to strike?
Maybe riots should take place? I am not suggesting we completely “dumb down”, but I do think we need to start thinking outside the box on our next steps. We need to re-evaluate our approaches and our messages and
discover ways to most effectively maintain the ideals this country was founded upon.

In the meantime, I am thinking of little ways I can “fight back” and maintain some dignity.

Again, I agree that one way we can do this is to support local progressive businesses when possible and boycotting those who support this administration.

My sister Sarah wrote the following message (below) within the context of a longer message. I thought it bore further dissemination (with her permission, of course).

By the way, this makes me think of a story I heard from our firend Mary. She called on election night, while she was wating for vote totals from a polling place on the South side of Milwaukee. She told me about a woman she met there, a poll worker for the Republican party. “It was
just like that skit on Saturday Night Live” Mary reported, this black woman in a bright orange tee shirt working for the republicans because they paid her. “Did they buy your vote too?” Mary asked her. “No, they ain’t getting that!” the woman responded with the flash of a smile. Mary noticed a missing tooth in the woman’s smile, and then the poll worker paused, reached into her purse and put something in her mouth. She smiled again, this time a perfect row of teeth. “I’ll give you my nice smile. They made me wear this ridiculous orange shirt, so I gave them my best Jack-o-Lantern smile!”

Okay, Jack-o-Lanterns for BC-04!

-nic
——– Forwarded Message ——–
From: Sarah
To: Nic
Subject: Couple things
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 08:13:25 -0600

Sorry to be silent for so long this week…

As for politics – gee whillikers! – I think it is high time the Democrats recognize this is a business. Amazing to hear Scott Walker [Milwaukee County Exec., ardent Republican, worm -nic] of all people on WUWM a couple days ago attributing the K-E success in Milw County to MoveOn. He derided the disorganization of the Dems, and gave the win to the mobilization of the 527’s. At his polling place, like mine in Tosa, there were two MoveOn volunteers. No Dems. Same at the ward in West Allis were John spent Nov. 2: 5 or 6 from MoveOn, no Dems. The Republicans rented vans and hired temps for election day. By the way, my own ward went 736 for Bush and 735 for Kerry. Too bad Emily didn’t vote absentee, so we could all feel better.

At our house, in the two weeks prior to the election, we received three well-spaced mailings from the RNC addressed to the former owner of our house. Each was about “moral values”. Big surprise, then, that 22% identify moral values as their number 1 issue. Direct mail theory states
you will seal the deal with the third mailing. There were no mailings from the DNC, except those Carville letters asking for money, and ones from local candidates. And of course, the whole moral value thing is classic bait-and-switch, to cover for whatever true agenda will come down the pipeline. Whatever the true agenda is, it will not morally or economically improve the lives of the majority of those who voted Bush. And, obviously, nor will a boycott. At my office, the talk is all about emigrating to Canada, or about only vacationing in blue states, or about wearing mourning for the next four years. I wish the talk were about being, acting, and executing smarter. The time has come and gone for the left to start thinking outside the box. It has never been more urgent than it is now. It may even be time for our generation, and the one which precedes us, to concede leadership and let some new ideas and some real 21st century strategy drive whatever movement evolves out of this miasma.

End of rant….

My friend Geri, with whom I went to campaign in Iowa for Dean:
http://politics.postilion.org/deanjournal.html
sent me this diary recounting her election night experiences. It is recommended reading for disappointed activists everywhere.

Thanks for sharing, Geri!

Best regards,
-nic

——– Forwarded Message ——–
From: Geri
To: nic
Subject: My Election Night Phone Call: Inspiring
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 07:52:36 -0500
My Diary entry from Election Day…

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/4/202941/652